Soxbadger

Rumors were all over the place. UVA, Maryland, Pitt, GTech, UNC, Duke were all thrown around as possible targets. From the old Big East it was usually Pitt and Rutgers, although most think Pitt would be the least likely.

Money, would be all I can think. The only reason I mentioned it was that back when the whole AM thing went down, there were some rumors Big wanted to try and go after ACC schools.

As I said, I thought earlier in the series the Bulls should have tried to play smaller with Brewer/Butler replacing Boozer and just switching more on defense. Even Hawes isnt a post up player for the 76ers and when Taj was in the game they really mostly took jump shots or tried to drive.

When I read your posts I can just see the anger and fear. It seems like you are just so worried that Obama is going to out raise Romney and win. Because last I checked politics is about winning, not about being righteously principled while the other side stomps you out. It must really burn to watch this go down.

QUOTE (zenryan @ May 10, 2012 -> 09:35 PM) Sounds like it might depend on if FSU and Clemson can get 2 other teams from the ACC to follow to form an Eastern division. What would happen to ACC? Turn to basketball conference? Or do you think UNC starts to listen to the Big10s pitch?

QUOTE (RockRaines @ May 10, 2012 -> 09:38 PM) They did unusual things this series like score from the post though, it was weird. I dont usually agree with you, but when I do its about Taylor and our need for another scoring pG who can shoot from the outside and run the pick and roll. I ALSO believe that the Bulls would be 100% more dangerous if they had a big man that could shoot the three like your boy Lauer. Rose or whoever in the pick and roll at the top with that bulls*** Wisconsin 3 ball from the big man would bring the offensive game of the BUlls up a few notches IMO. You dont need to get me started about what you could do if you switched Boozer for a guy like Leuer. I have always hated Boozer though, I just cant stand his game at all. And I know Im being hard on Thibs right now, but its just because I hope he looks at this series and sees where he could improve. Its unlikely the Bulls would have beaten the Heat anyways, so maybe they look at this and think about how they can improve and what areas they are weak in.

I dont even get why Boozer was a huge necessity in this series, 76ers play small, you could get away with Deng guarding their 4 most of the time.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ May 10, 2012 -> 09:28 PM) Not sure you can say that definitively, not how the Sixers played this series. They are one of the best defensive teams in the league and found some miraculous offense in a few of the games. If Wade and Bosh both tear their ACL's in the start of the series, I cannot say they beat Philly straight out. Well I think the Bulls should have won this series but for idiocy. You cant be afraid to try new things, when Boozer sucks, try something new. Give Butler a shot, give Brewer a shot, 76ers arent exactly a team that beats you on the block. They want to drive and use their athleticism, dont be afraid to go small. I just dont get it, I dont get the use of players. One day Korver plays the 4th, the next time Hamilton. Just all seems so arbitrary.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 10, 2012 -> 09:23 PM) Rose and Noah are 2 of the Bulls best 3 players, the other one is playing with one hand. Take 2 of the top 3 off any team and have the other one not nearly 100 percent and watch how much dumber their coach will get. The Bulls are championship calibur with their entire roster healthy. Not a lock like back in the day, but a real good shot. yes I understand they are 2 of the best 3, and I understand Deng is injured. The problem is that the Heat probably have more talent. So in a series where the talent is even, you hope that the coach wont be the difference between a win and a loss. The Heat have a bad coach too, just they have 2 superstars who can make their own offense. The Bulls have 1 guy who can make his own offense, even when Rose is healthy, and youd have thought Thibs would have done something more with the offense than just having Watson try and be Rose.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ May 10, 2012 -> 09:19 PM) I somewhat agree with Badger. Look, this is NOT a good Sixer team. Very mediocre and offensively-challenged. They went 15-22 in their last 37 games. If the only difference between the Sixers and Bulls is Rose and Noah missing a few games, then they're probably not that good anyway. At least not as good as their regular season record indicates. This team needs another playmaker/scorer and they need to get more athletic. If Bosh and Wade were out, the heat would still have beat the 76ers. Thats the problem, the Bulls need to beat the Heat, and that is going to mean they need a coach who is brilliant on offense, because the heat have the talent to guard Rose, and until the Bulls can consistently run offense without Rose, they arent really a threat to beat the Heat. I hate to say that, but what else can you say after watching this series. You cant just hope every year all of your players are in pristine condition at the most important series, you gotta win other ways sometimes.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 10, 2012 -> 09:12 PM) He was in for defense. The point guard made a poor decision to give him the ball at the end or the Bulls win. Or if he makes the free throws, which he should be able to do, the Bulls win. I don't see how this game or series is on Thibs. Asik is like a 50% free throw shooter and had made 3/4, he should have statistically missed both free throws. He sucks at free throws, hoping that he makes 2 there is insane. The ball should have never touched his hands. That being said, the Bulls still shouldnt have lost. Not one person can explain why the Bulls had all their guys on the line trying to rebound the 2nd Asik ft.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ May 10, 2012 -> 09:12 PM) Dude you admitted that you dont watch the NBA till college is over so how do you know that? Second, if you take out Asik you put in a black hole on defense in Boozer. I said I dont watch every game. I probably watch 40-50 Bulls regular season games. I watch every single second of every playoff game and every single second of every Wisconsin game. Thus I was saying Im not as knowledgeable because I dont watch as many games, not that I dont watch at all.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ May 10, 2012 -> 09:11 PM) Thibs is one of the best coaches in the league, with DROse they sweep and nobody mentions anything as he had back 2 back best records in the league. Come on, overreaction on the coaching being the issue here. He is down to a f***ing midget 2 guard bringing the ball up the floor and a stone-handed center starting the game. Not to mention a one-handed Luol who played out of his mind. The issue is your best player going down in game one where we cleaned their f***ing clocks. Add some players through the draft and possibly trades and probably have another great chance to be the #1 or #2 seed again next season. Doug Collins is a great coach, hes never won a championship. There is a chance that Thibs is a very good coach, just not an excellent coach. I know I am in the minority, but I have never liked his offense and always felt he let Rose bail the team out way to often. And I have mentioned things about Thibs, I b****ed for the last 2 years that he plays his guys until the bitter end and one day something bad would happen when the game was already won. Hes just not my favorite coach and it seemed so glaring to me the mistakes the last few games. I guess Im just concerned for the Bulls against a team like the Heat or Thunder, where talent may be on the other teams side. Then what?

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 10, 2012 -> 09:08 PM) Rose and Noah are out. Back ups are on the floor the entire game. Thats not an excuse for Thibs though. Asik was dead tired and a bad ft shooter, he should have been pulled from the game at 2 minutes left. He does this stuff all the time with players and how he handles them, Rose just makes up for it with brilliance.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 10, 2012 -> 09:04 PM) They also won't have Watson and Asik on the floor in those situations. No they wont, but Thibs could have called a Bulls player over after Asik was fouled and told them to not crash the boards and just man up on defense so as not to give up an easy basket. Or when the 76ers rolled the ball up the court, he could have told CJ to get on them so that the clock runs and they waste 4-5 seconds Its just the little things that seem to escape Thibs. That isnt on the players at all. Neither is how Thibs uses Taj versus Boozer or the million other little things that Derrick Rose makes up for on offense every single game. I have always wondered if Thibs was Collins and the Bulls would need someone else to get them to the promised land, this series does nothing to convince me otherwise, as better coaching would have won (imo).

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ May 10, 2012 -> 09:01 PM) This series was close with the Bulls two best players out, and you don't think that is why they lost? Replace Rose with Watson for even five minutes of each of these games, and this series is completely different. Thats not the point Im making. The Bulls should have won this series without Rose and Noah. They were up 15 in a game, they were up 11 game in a game and lost both. They were up tonight and lost again. Sure they didnt have Rose or Noah, but this was a 1 v 8. When the Bulls play the Heat, they wont have the advantage of dramatically more talent. Mistakes like these will crush. Its just a bad harbinger, because they could have won this series.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 10, 2012 -> 08:59 PM) You are kidding that Rose and Noah not playing isn't the reason the Bulls lost games. With Noah and Rose they win easy, thats not the point. The point is Thibs had the talent to win this series and just watched meltdown after meltdown. If the Bulls want to beat a team like the Heat, Thibs cant make these mistakes. Thats just the unfortunate truth, and Im not satisfied being 2nd place.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 10, 2012 -> 08:57 PM) Kendall letting CJ Watson have it. Says the Bulls need a new back up point guard. Said he was afraid of going to the line at the end of the game. Even if CJ missed both fts, the Bulls would have been in a drastically better defensive position as Asik would have been on the block so Deng doesnt end up under the basket with Taj, unable to guard on the play. If you watch Hawes, he basically blocks out to keep them from being able to run down the court. Anger rising.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 10, 2012 -> 08:57 PM) Kendall letting CJ Watson have it. Says the Bulls need a new back up point guard. Said he was afraid of going to the line at the end of the game. Jordan Taylor! Thats who I want the Bulls to draft in the 2nd.

It took the Bulls making 2 massive mistakes that should never be made to lose that game. I hope someone holds Thibs accountable for this mess, because it wasnt Rose or Noah being out, that lost some of these games.

This wasnt about the refs, this was about 2 people who are stupid. 1) CJ Watson, you never give the ball to Asik in that game, unless he is wide open under the basket and even then you want to dribble the f***ing clock out, you know the play you ran every other f***ing possession. 2) Thibs. Why were the Bulls crashing the rebound when they are up 1, what are you thinking? Why did you let the 76ers roll the ball up the court, which is about 3 free seconds the possession before. That is the game right there Thibs and simply using your brain would have changed the outcome. What a joke, nonsense.

The foul not being called on Watson was a good thing, it should have let him dribble another 4-5 seconds before they could foul him. He just did the dumbest thing, gave the ball to Asik in a situation where the other team wants to foul. f*** you Watson, f*** you.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 10, 2012 -> 08:50 PM) I don't know how you let a guy go the length of the floor in 4.8 seconds in that situation. If they didn't call a foul, it was an easy tip in anyway. Easy you have a coach who has his players go for the offensive rebound instead of having them all standing at half court making the other team shoot a prayer. What the hell was Thibs thinking.

CJ Watson must be the dumbest player, the second dumbest is Thibs to have Asik in the game.

This is all on Watson. HOLD THE f***ING BALL AND GET FOULED YOUR THE f***ING POINT GUARD YOU GOD DAMN MOTHER f***ER